My Leonine Locks…

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I faced something today that a large proportion of the fairer sex dread…having my haircut by a new hairdresser. I am am reliably informed that this fear is greatest in Leos who see their locks as an integral extension of their very glamour and fabulous-ness. So it was with great trepidation that this Leo breathed deeply and issued her ‘briefing’: I expect to leap out of bed each morning and do very little to it without the use of “product” to have it look amazing and effortless…

After a bit of flirting (well he did mention pole dancer in the list of occupations he thought I might partake in) we got down to it…and 35 minutes later I left the salon feeling (and looking) fabulous…so fabulous in fact that my friend and I had to take my new ‘do’ for a leisurely lunch at a fab French restaurant by the river and let it – the ‘do’ – glisten in the spring sunshine (oh yes, we are also having lots of this gorgeous weather – yippee!)

The true test will come over the coming week – you know, the leaping out of bed thing I mentioned earlier – but for today, this Leo lady is purring contentedly…

BBQ, BBQ, Wherefore Art Thou…

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Some lovely spring weather has ‘sprung’ over the weekend inspiring all sorts of unseasonal behaviour…smiling, sunglasses and shirtless men (the latter seems to be a phenomenon related to sunny, cloudless skies and unrelated to the actual temperature!). For me, it was a weekend of fervent gardening (aka re-potting survivors and adding some newcomers to the fray that is my assortment of plant pots), a few gentle G&Ts (aka gin & tonics) in the late afternoon and, of course, a BBQ dinner.

Our BBQ fare is really an ensemble arrangement: with me being a non-red meat eater, some sort of marinated chicken usually features, ably supported by veggie sausages or burgers. The division of labour is equitable too: I make the salad and then settle down with a glass of wine or other delightfully alcoholic beverage whilst J proves that men can actually multi-task by drinking beer as he manages ‘the BBQ’. It’s evenings like this, watching him prod the snags (aka sausages) with drink in hand, that I really do consider myself fortunate to have an Englishman in my life who loves a BBQ even more than this little Aussie sheila…so there is never a need to nag him about the need to uphold this great Australian tradition in Ol’ Blighty…

The Incident of the Kite in the Tree…

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We were back in East Anglia for a couple of days to bury J’s Mum and so there were a couple more ‘Kites on Rushmere Heath’ episodes. J just wanted one more go before we left yesterday so off he trundled, kites in hand. An hour or so later, just as we were wondering if he was on his way back for dinner, a dejected J returned to tell us the string on his favourite kite broke…and the kite itself was caught in a tree!

Well after dinner, J, his dad & I set off for the Heath on our mission – you can see how prepared we were…


So we sent J up the ladder with a really long pole and…..

TAH-DAH!

Now that’s a happier face!!

I think an old English law (Sod’s) came into play but my theory is it had to happen eventually!

…And New Beginnings…

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We went to a lovely wedding yesterday…a simple service, an ‘action-packed’ reception with lots of family and friends and even a traditional throwing of the bride’s bouquet (a rarity in these days of modern relationships and expensive ‘unthrow-able’ flower arrangements) which, just for the record, I did not come close to catching…

The bride and I have known each other for about 5 years, having met through mutual friends of friends when I arrived in London which is about the same time that she met her husband-to-be. They survived the tsumani in Thailand a couple of Christmasses ago and finally popped the question to each other during a holiday in Greece so it would seem that significant moments are marked by new places and adventures for these two. Their honeymoon will take them back to the site of the tsunami as well as through other parts of Thailand and in light of their love of cooking, I am expecting to enjoy a Thai Feast upon their return!

Mr and Mrs E, as they became yesterday, were beaming with the joy of being surrounded by their friends and family on their special day, and I for one was touched to be a part of it…

Goodbyes…

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We’ve been away for a few days for J’s Mum’s funeral and it was with sadness that we said our goodbyes on Monday 6th April (another beautiful Spring day). As the people whose lives she touched gathered to celebrate her life and wish her peace in whatever journey lies next for her, the family bond seemed to grow palpably stronger as husband, sons, and grandchildren drew comfort from each other and the extended family around them.

After the service and the formalities of the day were behind us, we walked across to Rushmere Heath and flew some kites – there was something about the soft hazy sunlight and the quiet dipping and whirling of the kites that was incredibly therapeutic and three generations of ‘S’ seemed to find a gentler space after the emotional intensity of the day.

There was a decided ‘nip’ in the air when we were done but we returned with faces flushed with fresh air and after fish and chips for dinner (my fourth takeaway dinner in a row!) and some family stories, I fell into bed tired but complete, having at last said my goodbyes…

What’s it all about, Alfie…

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Since becoming unemployed there has been all sorts of chilling out and gadding about going on but at the times in between, when everyone is at work and there is just me sitting at my front window in the sunshine, I have made a little friend. So let me introduce you to Alfie Bear…

Alfie arrived during my last days at Alpha in January and spends his days enjoying the sunshine and watching the squirrels, birds & numerous neighbour cats from my front window. He’s quite a good little bear – always up for cuddles, always smiling and very well-behaved although that mischievous smile makes me think that when I am not looking, he climbs down from his chair by the window and runs around shouting ‘I’m a real bear!’ with Pinocchio-like abandon. He is a huge fan of X-Factor and CSI (just like his Mum) but there is some debate about whether his CSI fave is Dad’s preference – Miami – or Mum’s – NY though he likes them all really. He also likes nothing better than a huge honey sandwich and I suspect that left to his own devices, his little Alfie paws dip straight into the honey jar!

Coriander…

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Well on 2nd March I blogged that I’d planted some seeds (coriander, basil, tomato and chilli to refresh your memory!) and I am delighted to report that five little shoots of coriander HAVE APPEARED (the fifth is hard to see but it’s smaller than the others and over towards the upper left).

Unfortunately there is no sign of the others yet and I am not sure whether it’s too early to lose hope. On the positive side of things, my thyme, parsley and bay tree are doing well and the mini rose bush I cut back to a small stick is now flourishing – these are obviously members of the genus ‘tough love’, flora well-suited to my bootcamp regime…

Family & friends…

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A busy weekend has just gone by, leaving us both quite exhausted by the whirlwind of activity…for me it was off to a hen’s party on Saturday to see my friend giving her singledom a last hoorah…in two weeks time, she will be a Mrs! Even though it wasn’t the big/late night for me that it was for others, I’m glad I was there for just a couple of hours to be part of it. Even though we are in limbo with the sadness of J’s Mum passing away, I wanted her to know that the happy occasions are just as important to celebrate as the sad ones…

Sunday was pretty much filled with family – J’s 15 yo daughter dances and was part of a big show that her dance school stages every two years. We picked her up just before lunchtime on Sunday (already tired from doing the matinee and evening shows on Saturday!) and then hung around for an hour before attending the matinee ourselves – 4 hours covering three themes: The Sleeping Beauty (ballet), Cats (free dance) and a mix of modern tunes & performances (modern & tap) with A having quite a few apperances in all three. Faves were def. Thriller and the Graveyard Mix as well as A’s turn in part of the Britney ‘homage’…and who can resist all those tiny tots in the cute red tutus who wriggle about when they are supposed to be ‘sleeping’ (in Sleeping Beauty) and are far more interested in finding Mum & Dad in the audience. Way too cute – and testament to the fact that motherhood is not for me – they may be cute but it doesn’t make me clucky!

The ladybird…

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I was sitting at my window last Wednesday when a ladybird landed on my daffodils – so very red and bright against the pale yellow blooms – I haven’t seen a ladybird in years but as I was admiring this tiny little creature, a faint voice echoed in my head – a visit from a ladybird precedes death. An old wives tale I thought…

We were about to head up to see J’s (partner) Mum who had been diagnosed with cancer just prior to Christmas…a phone call earlier in the day had told us that she had taken quite a sudden turn for the worst overnight and that we should get to Ipswich as quickly as possible. As we left, we got the call to say she’d passed away…

We’ve spent the best part of the last week in Ipswich with J’s family, making arrangements and supporting each other as we remembered his Mum in our own little ways. L lived her life surrounded by family and friends and went to sleep Tuesday night having laughed and chatted with her visitors and with great plans for watching Wednesday’s episodes of Emmerdale and Coronation Street. She left us all peacefully, surrounded by love.

We drank a lot of red wine and rode a rollercoaster of emotions over the last week. The most difficult part I’m finding is that the funeral is two weeks afterwards, we go back to work in between and our life settles into a pattern again only to have all the raw emotions re-surface when we actually say our good-byes. I feel so incredibly sad but I guess it’s a part of life’s circle – and a reminder that there are no second chances…

Rolled Steel Joists…

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It was a fabulously sunny Sunday here in London and a couple of friends and I went to a restaurant near Waterloo called RSJ for a bit of a foodie event. Italian chef ‘extraordinaire’, Ursula Ferrigno, was hosting one of her monthly Sunday lunches where she creates a set menu – this one being Italian Springtime Favourites. Hosted upstairs in the converted stable building, four long tables were set out so we got to sit with other people and chat – we were fortunate enough to be at the table where three of the people had been in the kitchen with Ursula helping to prepare the lunch so we got a bit of ‘inside information’ on some of the recipes!

After buying a bottle of wine to share (from an extensive list!), we started off with a wonderful tomato & leek soup – absolutely crammed with vegetables and a hint of chilli oil – followed by broad bean, ricotta & mint cannelloni (on a bechamel sauce), foccacia filled with rocket & lemon pesto, a prawn & artichoke salad (on a bed of lentils – amazing!), an absolutely wicked creamy Italian trifle with marsala and almonds and then finished off with cheese and a slice of pear. Ursula came into the room between courses, had a chat about the food, answered some questions and also gave us all a taste of a very limited edition brand of olive oil she uses (in just about everything, she said!) We were all so full at the end but everything was so fresh and you could really taste all of the wonderful flavours so you couldn’t help but finish every plate! Just as well we had only a short waddle back to Waterloo for the train home…

Ursula is so passionate and lively about her craft, it would be a hard heart that would fail to be inspired I think! It was a really great afternoon and I’d highly recommend it – check out the website – http://www.rsj.uk.com/ – for the next dates and if you are in London, get yourself down there…